Illinois Gun Control Breakthrough

Illinois (IRN) – A measure to strip Illinois municipalities of their authority to regulate gun ownership has passed an Illinois House committee. An NRA spokesman says the legislation doesn’t necessarily target Chicago, but that’s where the law would have the biggest effect.

A proposal moving through the Illinois legislature would strip municipalities of their ability to control firearm ownership. That includes home rule communities.

H.B. 264 seeks to create a statewide standard for those who wish to buy firearms for protection.

Todd Vandermyde of the National Rifle Association says the legislation doesn’t necessarily target Chicago, but the city offers a prime example of why statewide legislation is needed. Chicago passed several local ordinances regarding gun ownership shortly after the Supreme Court struck down its handgun ban last year.

He says gun owners shouldn’t have to pay for an extra license and training just to own a gun in the city.

Samantha Fields of the Chicago mayor’s office, however, sees things differently. She says “gun ownership is not an unlimited right.” “We do ask that people get trained to own a gun, we do ask that they safely store the gun,” says Fields. “Those are things the United States Supreme Court has allowed us to do.”

The proposal passed out of the House Agriculture committee on a 13-1 vote, and now goes to the full House for debate.